Adapter means for supporting the air lines of railroad cars



July 10, 1951 T. H. BIRCH ETAL ADAPTER MEANS FOR SUPPORTING THE AIR LINES OF RAILROAD CARS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 4, 1949 inky w, 1951 T. H. BIRCH ETAL ADAPTER MEANS FOR SUPPORTING THE AIR LINES OF RAILROAD CARS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 4, 1949 J INVENTORS flu. M m at Q m AA-- M 'JII'ORNE? Patented July 10, 1951 OFFICE ADAPTER MEAN S FOR SUPPORTING THE AIR LINES F RAILROAD CARS Thomas H. Birch and Vernon L. Green, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application May 4, 1949, Serial No. 91,298

2 Claims.

Our invention relates to means which may be secured to the coupler carrier at the end of the car and arranged to receive and support the ends of the usual train or air line, the signal line and the straight air line and to also support the coupler carrying hoses at the ends of the car and to position or locate them in keeping with A. A. R. requirements. The invention has for its object the elevation of the depending hose connections so the latter will not contact the usual steam conduit, while at the same time permit the socalled glad hand couplers at the outer ends of the hoses to carry out their designed self-locking function as contemplated with the standard A. A. R. location.

Our invention also has for its object the provision of an adapter which may be readily secured to the coupler carrier or to the car coupler so as to move laterally with the coupler and hence will not interfere with or be knocked off by the coupler; our improved adapter also positions the hoses where the free coupler carrying ends of the hoses-when uncoupled-will not dangle or depend in contact with the ties or ground and become badly battered as heretofore was the case when the operator failed to hang up the hoses.

The foregoing objects and advantages of our invention, as well as other advantages inherent in the invention, will all be readily compre= hended from the following detailed description of the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a side view in perspective of our improved adapter and a portion of the couplers in coupling condition as viewed from the side of the car, with a portion of the coupler carrier broken away.

Figure 2 is a perspective view as viewed from the end of a car and showing a portion of the car platform casting.

Figures 3, 3 4 and 4 are cross-sectional views of.the adapter taken, respectively, on the lines 3-3, 3 3 and 4-4 of Figure 1 and on line 4* 4 of Figure 2, as viewed by the arrows.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing a modification of the adapter.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 2, of the modification shown in Figure 5.

Our invention, as exemplified in Figures 1 and 2, is in the form of a casting [5 consisting of a horizontal leg it having a laterally disposed bracket arm ll whereby the inner end of the casting is secured to the coupler carrier Ill. The horizontal leg IE of the casting I5 at its outer end terminates in a vertical leg 19 which is also shown provided with a laterally disposed bracket 2 arm 20 which is shown secured to the coupler carrier; the bracket arms H and 20 rigidly hold-- ing the air line coupling member or adapter 1555 in associated relation with the coupler; carrier of the car.

The legs I6 and 19 of the adapter casting are. provided with a predetermined number of air. ducts 2|, 22 and 23 as shown in the cross section Figures 3, 3 4 and 4 the orifices of the ducts preferably being, respectively, provided with suitable air tight nipples 24, 25-, 25 to which the respective air pipes, namely signal air line 2?, air line 28 and straight air line 29 are connected through the medium of their usual valve casings. The portion of the ducts in the vertical leg of the adapter have their orifices arranged in planes one above the other, see Figures 2, 3*, on the outer face of the adapter and preferably provided with short air tight nipples at 39, 3|, 32 to which the flexible terminals or hoses 33, 3d, 35, respectively, are secured; the free ends of the hoses each being provided with the usual glad hand or standard type self locking couplers indicated at 36.

The air ducts 2|, 22 and 23 are shown in substantially the same horizontal plane as shown in Figure 3, while in the vertical leg I9 of the casting these ports slightly change their configuration and are arranged as shown in Figure 3 taken along the line of the outlet of port 23; the other two ports adjacent their outlets (namely above the outlet of port 23) being then arranged as shown in the sectional views Figures 4, and 4 In Figure 1, the respective air hoses are shown coupled to their corresponding hoses of an aligned car.

The inner or horizontal end of the adapter l5 isdisposed substantially in the plane ofv the air pipes mounted in the cross members or cross bearers of the car underframe, while the terminals or air hoses are arranged or supported in an elevated plane sufiiciently above the right-of-way so that K the free uncoupled outer ends of the hoses will not contact the ties of the right-of-way and at the same time will not contact with the usual steam line or pipe of the coach, which have definite locations in standard car constructions as defined by A. A. R. specifications.

The bottom of the horizontal or lower leg of i the adapter preferably may be provided with a... provided with a removab1e-= 38 whereby the train lines may be;

sump portion as at 31,

drain plug drained.

Our improved adapter is especially applicableto cars provided with what are known as tight;

look couplers employing coupler carriers whereby the various air-line terminals or hoses are mounted very low in order that they may pass under the car platform casting coupler safety carrier. This condition and arangement permits the various air line hoses to have rubbing contact with the steam conduit of the car, causing very rapid wear of the air hoses and of the steam conduit;

As is apparent from the structure shown, this condition is eliminated. gonhorizontal plane of the respective air lines of the In Figures 5 and 6 we illustrate a modified or fabricated type of adapter consisting-ofapairlof .1 air pipe holding bracket members or plates 39 an 40.

The plate 39 is disposed horizontally and apes-t tured to receive the nipples or extensions. 4|, (l2, 33 of the air lines 27, 28 and 29; and the inner end of the plate 39 is shown flanged and securedetoxv the coupler carrier 18, see Figure 5.

The plate 3G, disposed in a plane above :thateo of plate 39, is provided with vertically. arranged. holes to receive the ends of the extensions or,v nipples 4i, 42 and 43; and the plate is provided: with a laterally disposed portion or arm 46 where-. by the plate is secured to the coupler carrier 18.

As the bracket plate 49 is arranged in a horizontal plane above that of the air lines andbracket plate 33, the pipe extensionsfi l 4 2 and 43s; are shown bent upwardly to pass rearwardly of plate 48, with their immediate ends disposedv 52.) through the plate and formed to permit the cou-. pling provided hoses 33, 36 and to be connect ed to their respective air line extensions.

With our improved adapters the fixedly attached 1' ends of the hoses are considerably elevated above 35 the horizontal planes of the outer coupled ends..- of the hoses of adjacently coupled cars, as shown in Figures 1 and 5, thereby providing a downward locking pressure (in the manner originally 6.61: signed) on the well known type of self locking e glad hand type couplers 3% to maintain their coupled condition in keeping with A. A. R. re-' quirements. With the present day low level .ar-. rangement the coupled ends. of. the ehosesstoo closely approximate a horizontal;positiomand :4 rest on thesteam linewith the result thatatheic glad handfl couplers, due tovibration, frequents ly become uncoupled This low levelxarrangeezsv ment necessitates theuncoupled endsofrthegam line hoses to be hung up atgthe end 10f thercar in-c order to prevent; damage to the hoses and their: couplers. With ou improved adapters these con-1;)

ditions are'eliminated; and, as. a result a saying of many man hours is obtained;

We have described what is believed to be theafifi simplest and best adaptations of .the invention for use with present day coupler carriers but modifications are possible and may be made without, however, departing from the spirit of our invention as defined in the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. Adapter means for the longitudinally disposed air lines and air hoses of a railroad car provided at its end with acoupler carrier comprising an-tapertured portion-disposed atone side, beneath the coupler carrier and arranged in the can andadapted to. receive the ends of said lines, said lportionzhaving a laterally disposed arm whereby the portion is secured to and supported couplerscarrier, a vertically disposed apertured portion arranged substantially in the horizontal-planeofzthe. car coupler knuckle and outwardly of said first mentir portion and adapted tohave the inner ends or the air hoses secured to its apertures with air conveying ducts between the apertures of both portions 2.: In adapter. means for the all lines 8,1ld"GOua pling hoses of :a railroad car provided -with a t plurality of air pipes secured to the railroad car-I- underframe;..the coupling hoses for connecting the respective pipesto similar pipes of an adjacentcar and a coupler carrier, adapter means disposed/at the end of the car and at one=side-of the. coupler. carrier, having a horizontal portionprovided. with nipplesfor receiving the ends of said pipes, a second elevated upstanding-pol tic arranged toextend substantially into the plan'e of the car-coupler, adapted-to have theendsbf the-- coupling hoses secured-thereto, an intermediate air duct portion for connecting and 'establishing communication between the respective pipes' and their hoses and to restore theairhoses to- -the conventional A.- A. R. location; and laterally dis posed brackets at the ends of said portions adapted-to be secured to'the coupler carrier whereby the adapter is supported in place, the-attached 7 ends of the hoses held in proper elevated position" to maintain the hose coupled'condition and made i to move with the car coupler and/or coupler car rier of the car. I THOMAS H. BIRCT' I Q VERNON LJGREEN.

REFERENCES CITED 7 I The following references are of record in 'theczfile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,828,774 Godward Oct. 27, 1931' 2,201,203 Robinson May 21,1949 2,237,672 Kennedy Apr. 8, 1941 2 2,262,627 Whitesell Nov; 11, 1941 

